With the first week of the 2023-24 NBA season in the books, we explore 14 completely unnecessary opening week overreactions.
The first week of the 2023-24 NBA season is pretty much in the books. During the first handful of games of the season, there was much that began to transpire. We got to see the new-look Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, the defending champions continue to stake their claim, and Victor Wembanyama continues to impress despite the historic hype.
What else did we learn? We’ll, here are 14 overreactions after the first week of the season.
14 overreactions after the first week of the NBA season
The Los Angeles Lakers retooling their supporting cast changes nothing
During the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers retooled their supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They added Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, and Taurean Prince, among others. Through the first two games of the season, not much has changed for the Lakers.
In their opening game, they proved they are still not a match for the Denver Nuggets, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering they’re the defending champs. However, it was concerning that the Lakers still relied so heavily on AD and LeBron. The same could be said against the Phoenix Suns, who the Lakers barely inched by thanks to an explosion in the fourth quarter. Mind you, the Suns were without both Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in that game.
If the Lakers are going to make another deep run in the Western Conference, you’d have to imagine they’re going to have to make another big move at some point before the NBA Trade Deadline.
Damian Lillard solves the Milwaukee Bucks’ late-game concerns
When the Milwaukee Bucks added Damian Lillard during the offseason, it was easy to see why it would end up being a huge win for a team that was trying to extend Giannis Antetokounmpo’s championship window in Milwaukee. Lillard answers so many questions for the Bucks, especially when it comes to clutch situations.
During his first clutch moment of the season, Lillard came through in a big way for the Bucks. And he proved, even in just one game, why this acquisition could end up being so important in Milwaukee’s quest to win a second championship with Giannis. In the season-opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, Lillard finished with 39 points, scoring Milwaukee’s final 11 points of the game.
Looking back at the recent history of the Bucks and their failures in the playoffs, the team’s uneven late-game clutch situations are one of the biggest issues that they had. They continually lacked a player who could get their own bucket whenever they wanted, especially in these late-game situations. With Lillard, that is no longer the case. And that much was evident in the team’s first big win of the season.
The Atlanta Hawks may have an issue with Trae Young
Through two games, it seems that the Atlanta Hawks may have a real problem with Trae Young. They may never admit it, but I’d be surprised if there weren’t some real conversations going on behind the scenes regarding his future with the team. Through two games, the Hawks are 0-2 with Young averaging 21 points on 23 percent shooting from the field and 21 percent shooting from 3-point range.
After much speculation surrounding Young’s future with the team and the possibility that he could find his way to the trade block, this is not exactly the start that Young or the Hawks envisioned heading into this season. Maybe it changes and this is just a rough start for Young, but this is now a trend that has lingered around Young for the last year.
Last season, Young took a bit of a step back in terms of offensive efficiency. It’s one of the biggest reasons why the Hawks were one of the most inconsistent playoff teams last season. If nothing else, this is a storyline to keep an eye on heading into the second week of the season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder might be for real
It’s only been two games for most teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder. Through those two games, though, the Thunder have been pretty impressive. In their season opener, they thrashed the Chicago Bulls by 20 points. They followed that up with a solid win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Thunder are 2-0 after the first week of the season and have the look of a team that is going to be a serious contender to make the playoffs.
OKC has one of the better defenses in the NBA and Chet Holmgren is already doing crazy things on the defensive end of the floor. If their young players can continue to build off this solid start, there’s nothing holding this team back from being a nightmarish matchup for a contender in the playoffs.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself but the Thunder look legit. How legit remains to be seen but they have a solid foundation heading into the second week of the NBA season. The question is, can they keep it all going?
The Boston Celtics will be overwhelming on offense
There’s an argument to be made that the Boston Celtics won the offseason. They lost Marcus Smart (willingly) but did great by adding Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Through two games, the Celtics have been as good as expected. They’ve been pushed in both games but managed to pull through over the Philadelphia 76ers and then the Miami Heat. One big reason why is their overwhelming potential on the offensive end of the floor.
Through two games, the Celtics nearly have four players averaging 20 points per game. Jayson Tatum is averaging 28, Kristaps Porzingis 23, Derrick White 20, and Jaylen Brown 19. Oh, and Jrue Holiday is averaging just 13 points per game. He’s also completely capable of averaging 20 points per game as well.
While it’s natural to have questions about the Celtics’ defense and their ability to do enough on that end of the floor to birth a championship, there are no questions about their ability on the offensive end of the floor. They have the potential to be absolutely overwhelming on offense.
Victor Wembanyama is HIM
If there were any doubts about Victor Wembanyama heading into the start of the season, those have to be over. He proved it in the NBA Summer League, in the pre-season, and is now walking the walk in the regular season. Albeit, it’s only been two games but it’s certainly been a solid start for Wemby and the San Antonio Spurs. Through two games, Wemby is averaging 18 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks per game on 46 percent shooting from the field.
He’s also helped the Spurs look like a team that is going to be competitive all season long. San Antonio nearly beat Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in their season opener and got the best of the Houston Rockets in their second game, with Wemby playing a big part in the team’s win over their state rivals.
The only question regarding Wemby now is whether he can remain healthy and consistent all season long. He’s good. He’s talented. He can play in the NBA. That’s all known. Wemby is here and it’s time we all realize just how good he can be.
DeMar DeRozan deserves better than the Chicago Bulls
I still can’t get over the fact that the Chicago Bulls believed that it was a good idea to run it back one more year with this core. Regardless, it’s been an up-and-down start to the year for the Bulls. While there is still a lot that needs to be settled in the Eastern Conference, one thing is pretty clear. After a disappointing start to the season, the Bulls are not a team that is going to be able to realistically compete in the playoffs (if they can even get there).
For a player like DeMar DeRozan, it’s probably in the best interest of both him and the team to move in a different direction. DeRozan is 34 years old and deserves to be competing for a championship. Or at least on a team that has an outside shot to even get in that conversation.
He currently doesn’t have that opportunity. An in-season trade could give him that while also helping the Bulls as they retool the roster. DeRozan is in the final year of his contract and he’s still playing at a high level. With all due respect to the Bulls, DeRozan deserves better.
Luka Doncic is the NBA MVP
Heading into the season, many were doubting the Dallas Mavericks’ ability to bounce back in a big way. Admittedly, missing the playoffs even after the acquisition of Kyrie Irving at the NBA Trade Deadline was not a good look. However, there’s one reason why I still believed that the Mavs were going to be able to figure things out this season. The presence of Luka Doncic on the roster. Through the first week of the season, there’s a strong argument to be made that Luka is the leader in the NBA MVP clubhouse.
If the season ended after two regular season games, Luka would win the award. Through two games, Luka is averaging 41 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists per game on 58 percent shooting from the field and 48 percent shooting from 3-point range. The Mavs are also off to a 2-0 start.
Even though I don’t think it’s fair to expect Luka to continue at this extreme pace, it’s clear that he’s ready and willing (and able) to carry the Mavs this season. The Mavs may be a real threat in the West this season and Luka will be a big reason why. Luka has been so good that it’s become easy to forget that Kyrie is also on this team.
The Orlando Magic will be a Play-In threat
It’s not all that surprising that the Orlando Magic have gotten off to a 2-0 start to the season. However, the fact that they’re winning games they’re supposed to win is a good sign of where this team is in their development. The Magic opened the season with an impressive 30-point win over the Houston Rockets and followed that up with a win on the road against the young Portland Trail Blazers.
What has to be most encouraging for the Magic is the fact that they’ve managed to get off to such a good start without Paolo Banchero hitting his stride. Once he gets going, this team is going to be that much more dangerous in the East.
It probably has more to do with the first two opponents that they’ve played to begin the year, but the Magic have had one of the best defenses in the NBA so far. If nothing else, this start is something that can spark a team’s confidence. Especially a team that relies on so much young talent. The Magic have the talent to be a Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference this season. This start proves that they may be ready to make such a jump.
The Denver Nuggets are the team to beat again
After an offseason in which the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns stole all the headlines, through the first week of the season it’s the Denver Nuggets that have once again looked like the best team in the league. It’s early, but they’ve proven to not miss much of a step after losing Bruce Brown and continue to have one of the most lethal offenses in the NBA.
Through the first two games, the Nuggets have also been good enough on the defensive end where it hasn’t been much of an issue for the team. If there is one concern the Nuggets should have after the quick start to the season, it probably falls on the shoulders of Michael Porter Jr. After struggling in the NBA Finals last season, MPJ has allowed that to linger into the start of this season.
MPJ is averaging just 11 points on 40 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent shooting from 3-point range. It’s early and you’d have to think that a player as talented as he is, he’ll figure it out. But it’s certainly not something you want to see from such a young player.
The Philadelphia 76ers might be fine without James Harden
When it was reported that James Harden wanted a trade away from the Philadelphia 76ers, it was assumed that the team was going to take a significant step back in the Eastern Conference. However, through the first two games of the season, that may not seem to be the case. The Sixers may be 1-1 but they were mightily impressive in both of their showings. In their first showing, they nearly upset the Milwaukee Bucks after falling behind double-digits in the first half.
They then followed that up by taking care of the Toronto Raptors during their second game of the season. In both of those games, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey played like the star players that the Sixers are going to need them to be if they’re going to survive this season when Harden gets traded (assuming that’s something that is still going to happen).
Of course, we need to see if the Sixers can consistently show their ability to remain this competitive without Harden. But at least through the first couple of games of the season, it seems as if the Sixers may be fine if they do end up trading Harden.
The New Orleans Pelicans appear to be a problem once again
After falling apart once injuries took over during the second half of last season, there were many questions surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans heading into this season. The biggest of those questions revolved around this team’s ability to remain healthy. After that, it was whether or not this team could replicate some of the same success from last season if they were healthy. Through two games, the answer to that second question appears to be yes.
The Pelicans are not completely healthy but they’re close enough that they can be fairly judged for what they do or don’t do in the regular season. Through two games, the Pelicans have to pass with flying colors. New Orleans is 2-0 at the moment and has two quality wins after the first week of the season.
In the last few days, the Pelicans have beaten the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks – two teams that many expect to be in the playoffs this season. The Pelicans look good. The big question is whether they can remain healthy.
You can’t take the Phoenix Suns seriously until they prove they can remain healthy
Through three games, the Phoenix Suns are 2-1. It’s not surprising in the least as this was a team many considered to be a favorite to win it all. However, how they’ve gotten there has been far from ideal. The Suns have won two of their first three games despite Bradley Beal missing the first three games of the season and Devin Booker missing two – due to injuries. While the goal for the Suns is to get the postseason healthy, I’m not sure this is a team we can take seriously until they prove they can remain healthy.
Over the course of the last few seasons of their respective careers, both Beal and Kevin Durant are players who have struggled to stay healthy. And if the Suns aren’t healthy in the postseason, they don’t have much of a shot to make a deep run.
The Suns are going to win a lot of regular season games. Even if they’re not completely healthy at different points of the year. But the playoffs are built completely differently. They’re made for the stars to carry the load. On paper, the Suns should be a favorite. But I still have some very big questions about a team that has not proven to be healthy for an extended period of time.
The Miami Heat may be bad bad
When it was official that the Miami Heat were going to miss out on both Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard over the course of one offseason, it was only natural to believe that this was a team that was going to take a step back. And through the first three games of the season, it absolutely appears as if that’s the case for the Heat. Miami is 1-2 on the season and there’s an argument to be made that they probably should be 0-3.
The Heat survived on opening night against the Detroit Pistons, winning by one point. They then lost to the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. It’s been a rough start to the season for the Heat, to say the least.
After missing on Lillard and Beal, the hope was for the Heat that Tyler Herro would take another step forward this season. He was viewed as the only player that can be the saving grace for the Heat. He hasn’t taken that step forward. In an increased role, Herro has struggled with his shooting efficiencies.
The Heat might be bad. Like really bad. If this trend continues over the next couple of weeks, you can’t help but wonder what may be on the horizon for the defending Eastern Conference champs.